This invention relates to a fibre optic data coupler suitable for use in subsea applications.
At present, signal cables for subsea use are electrical and employ inductive or plug and socket connectors. The flat faced inductive types are simpler to use and are more reliable. However, because of the limited bandwith or data rats performance of existing types, such as co-axial cables or screened twisted pair data links, there is a need for an effective coupler which will permit the use of fibre optic (FO) data links.
Existing fibre optic connectors are of the conductive type and have the following limitations: precise alignment is required for their make-up, any ingress of water around the pins during make-up may lead to rapid failure, only a limited number of make and breaks is possible, thus -leading to limited life and, subsea mating is difficult, particularly remote subsea mating.
We have now devised an inductive coupler which eliminates the disadvantages of the conductive type.